CECILIA ESSIEN vs. PROSPER EZAN KODJO [2020]DLCA8829

Date	2020-02-26
Suit No.	CIVIL APPEAL NO. H1/55/2018
Citation No.	[2020]DLCA8829

IRENE CHARITY LARBI MRS. J.A (PRESIDING)

NGELINA M. DOMAKYAAREH MRS.( J.A)

PATIENCE MILLS-TETTEH J.

DORA NSIAH JACKSON-COUNSEL FOR THE 1ST DEFENDANT/APPELLANT

THEODORE EBENEZER NII AYI-BONTE COUNSEL FOR PLAINTIFF/RESPONDENT

[2020]DLCA8829
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >CECILIA ESSIEN<o:p></o:p>(PLAINTIFF/RESPONDENT)<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>PROSPER EZAN KODJO<o:p></o:p>(DEFENDANT/APPELLANT)<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>[COURT
OF APPEAL, CAPE COAST]<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">

CIVIL APPEAL NO. H1/55/2018&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; DATE: 26TH FEBRUARY,
2020<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:<o:p></o:p>DORA
NSIAH JACKSON-COUNSEL FOR THE 1ST DEFENDANT/APPELLANT<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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THEODORE EBENEZER NII AYI-BONTE COUNSEL FOR
PLAINTIFF/RESPONDENT.<o:p></o:p>

</div>CORAM:<o:p></o:p>IRENE CHARITY LARBI MRS. J.A (PRESIDING), NGELINA M.
DOMAKYAAREH MRS.( J.A), PATIENCE MILLS-TETTEH J. (SITTING AS ADDITIONAL &nbsp;COURT OF APPEAL JUDGE)<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border-top:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;border:none;
mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0cm;mso-padding-alt:1.0pt 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">JUDGMENT<o:p></o:p>

</div>IRENE
CHARITY LARBI&nbsp; (MRS) J.A.<o:p></o:p>This
appeal is against the judgment of the High Court, Sekondi, dated 8th
February, 2013.<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-top:0cm;margin-right:0cm;
margin-bottom:10.0pt;margin-left:18.0pt;mso-add-space:auto;text-align:justify;
text-indent:-18.0pt;line-height:150%;mso-list:l2 level1 lfo1">(1)&nbsp;&nbsp;
The Plaintiff by his Writ issued on 6th November,
2001 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<o:p></o:p>claimed against the Defendants for
declaration of title to a piece of&nbsp; land
known as Plot No.176 on North Kwesimintsim Asakae-Mpatado-Adientem layout, an
order for recovery of possession; perpetual injunction to restrain the Defendants,
agents, privies etc and damages for trespass.<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-top:0cm;margin-right:0cm;
margin-bottom:10.0pt;margin-left:18.0pt;mso-add-space:auto;text-align:justify;
text-indent:-18.0pt;line-height:150%;mso-list:l2 level1 lfo1">(2)&nbsp; The 1st
Defendant filed his defence and counter-claimed for &nbsp;&nbsp;<o:p></o:p>perpetual
injunction restraining the Plaintiff, her agents, assigns etc from interfering with
the Plot No. 176 or with the 1st Defendant’s quiet enjoyment of the
said plot.<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-top:0cm;margin-right:0cm;
margin-bottom:10.0pt;margin-left:18.0pt;mso-add-space:auto;text-align:justify;
text-indent:-18.0pt;line-height:150%;mso-list:l2 level1 lfo1">(3)&nbsp; In the
course of the proceedings, the Plaintiff discontinued &nbsp;&nbsp;<o:p></o:p>against
the 2nd Defendant. At the trial, evidence was given by the
Plaintiffs Attorney, Anthony Ebo Essien, her husband by virtue of a Power of
Attorney donated to him by the Plaintiff.<o:p></o:p>A summary of the Plaintiffs case is
that the Plaintiff acquired&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>a lease
of the land in dispute from the Ntwea family of&nbsp;
Apremdo by a lease dated&nbsp; 13th
October, 1997 and registered it at the Deeds Registry as Lands Registry No.
2946/2001. &nbsp;Sometime in 2001, the
Plaintiff visited the site only to realize that someone had dug a foundation on
the plot No. 176. Upon investigation, the Plaintiff got to know that it was the
1st Defendant who was developing the said plot. The Plaintiff
averred that her husband confronted the Defendant’s agents on the land but they
failed to produce any document as to ownership of the land. The Plaintiff
averred further that the parties to the suit met at Lands Commission, Sekondi,
in an attempt to resolve the impasse at the Lands Commission, where the
Defendant again failed to produce any title deeds nor his grantors.<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-top:0cm;margin-right:0cm;
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